


Finally, Just You and Me

by ariannadi



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon | Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Versions
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Mutual Pining, Romance, Scheming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 03:42:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14370168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariannadi/pseuds/ariannadi
Summary: It had been over a year since Gladion had departed from Alola to train, and with every passing day Kira felt the growing weight of his absence.





	Finally, Just You and Me

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this when USUM came out, and only just got the will to actually finish it xD
> 
> I love Gladion/Moon - I've never really shipped pairings in Pokemon but they are too friggin cute not to x3 As is expected, the characters have been aged up a bit (15-17) cause I'm not comfortable writing romance between 11-13 year olds xP 
> 
> Kira is my protag - She has the long wavy hair in pink brown, and blue-grey eyes. Her team consists of Flounder the Primarina, Boba the Alolan Persian, Mystique the Mismagius, Roxy the Lycanroc, Lixue the Alolan Ninetales, and Nazo the Mimikyu.

Kira’s eyes wandered to the beachfront of Hau’oli City, a sigh leaving her mouth as she meandered about the strip. Nazo, her Mimikyu, followed aimlessly at her heels, pausing to look directly at its trainer when it noticed her disposition turn sour.

“Sorry, Nazo,” the girl said to the Pokemon with a sad smile. “Suppose my mind is just elsewhere today.”

“Kyu?” the Mimikyu responded, then nudged its head against her calf affectionately. Kira laughed and bent down to scoop the little creature into her arms, returning the gesture by nuzzling her forehead against the crooked grin that donned the Pokemon’s disguise.

Nazo had been one of the last Pokemon to join her team, but it had grown to love her far quicker than any of the others. It got to the point where the little being simply refused to be encased in its pokeball, preferring to follow Kira on foot instead.

She remembered the moment she caught him vividly, it had been at the abandoned supermarket just after Acerola’s trial. She’d had to rescue a stolen Yungoos from Po Town after that, but when Kira returned to the Aether house where she had left Lillie, that was when everything had gone south.

That was when Gladion had joined their brigade officially.

A shaky sigh left Kira as she thought of the standoffish boy. It had been just over a year now since he had departed for Kanto and Johto to become a stronger trainer, and although he had made an effort to keep in contact with her, Lillie, and Hau through video chat, it just wasn’t the same. More often than not, their late-night conversations left her heart aching, knowing it could be another year, maybe more, before he returned to Alola. He had insisted they weren’t friends when they parted ways after traveling together, but the bond that had developed between them had proven otherwise.

She missed him. Very much so.

The sudden beeping of her Rotom Dex snapped Kira out of her depressing thoughts; the conjoined Pokemon flying out of her purse and switching to the video chat screen. “A call from Lillie! BZZZrrrzzzZZZ!” it announced, before the aforementioned blonde popped up on the screen.

“Hey Kira! What’s up?” the girl asked, Hau peeking over her shoulder and waving excitedly.

“Um, not much? What are you two up to?” Kira asked in return.

“Lillie and I were wondering if you wanted to come grab malasadas with us!” Hau butted in, nearly knocking Lillie over. “We’re helping Professor Kukui at his laboratory but malasadas always have priority!”

“AND Kira,” Lillie berated him gently, causing Hau’s face to turn sheepish as he rubbed at the back of his head.

“Heh, of course!” the boy agreed.

Kira smiled to herself at their humorous banter. Ever since her best friends had begun “dating” or whatever the equivalent was for two fifteen-year-olds, they had been nearly inseparable – which more often than not rendered Kira the third wheel when they all hung out. If she were honest, though, she really didn’t mind it. Seeing them so happy together made her happy, in turn.

“You’re in Hau’oli City, right?” Lillie asked suddenly. “We’ll meet you at the malasada shop in a few, alright?”

“Sounds good,” Kira replied. “See you in a bit.”

The girl made her way to the restaurant, grabbing a booth off to the corner that would be big enough for her and her accomplices. Nazo took it upon itself to crawl into her lap, chirping excitedly when she pulled out a pouch of pokebeans and handed it one.

It only took a good ten minutes before Hau and Lillie arrived, both hurrying to her when she waved them over. Hau offered to order their food at the counter, as was expected, leaving Kira and Lillie to talk one-on-one for a bit.

“Feels like forever since we hung out last!” Lillie said, reaching over to pat Nazo on the top of its disguise.

“It’s been a week, Lillie,” Kira laughed, which Lillie just rolled her eyes at.

“You know what I mean,” the girl retorted. “With me helping out at Aether and you having to defend your title almost every day, it doesn’t leave much time for us to do stuff together anymore. Even Hau and I don’t get to do much together since he’s training to become a Kahuna now.”

“Makes you wish we all hadn’t grown up so fast, huh?” Kira said sadly, and Lillie sighed.

“Now I know how Gladion felt when he took off on his own,” she muttered. “I suppose it all worked out for the best.”

At the mention of Gladion, Kira felt her cheeks heat.

“Hey, Lillie?” she asked shyly, her tone causing her friend to stare at her curiously. “Do you… have any idea when your brother is going to come back here?”

“None at all,” Lillie answered. “I mean, he _says_ he’s almost done with his training but you never know with that boy. Why do you ask?”

Kira wiggled in her seat a bit as she stared toward the table, her fingers idly playing with the ears on Nazo’s disguise.

“I was just… I-I was actually thinking about him earlier, and well, the thought crossed my mind. It feels like it's been a lifetime since he was here. And with you and Hau always together I just…”

Lillie studied her silently for a while, before a beaming smile broke out on her face – one that left Kira quite terrified.

“Oh, Kira…” she nearly cooed, “You have a crush on Gladion! I knew this was going to happen eventually, you two just had too much chemistry for it not to!”

Kira, having been found out, knew her face was as red as a tomato at this point. Waving her hands furiously, she hissed, “Will you keep it down? I don’t want Hau to hear, he’ll never let me live it down.”

“But it’s so adorable!” Lillie sang, ignoring the request completely. “I mean, the fact that you talk to him more often than _I do_ rang a few bells – but for you to actually confirm it?” the girl clapped her hands together, “My entire week has been made!”

“And why’s that?” Hau asked as he approached the table, a tray of malasadas and drinks in his hands.

“Oh! Er… because… because the malasadas were ready so quickly!” Kira yelped, flashing Hau a convincing smile.

“And here I thought _I_ was the malasada enthusiast,” Hau teased, taking a seat next to Lillie and setting the tray on the table.

“Oh, I’d say some of us are _just_ as excited,” Lillie replied, sending a knowing look Kira’s way and earning a deadly glare in response.

When the three of them were finished eating and catching up, they made their way out onto the strip of Hau’oli City – Hau wandering ahead to let his Pokemon run around on the beach. This gave Lillie the opportunity to yank Kira aside, the aura about her entirely serious.

“Okay, you can’t just drop a bomb about liking my brother on me and expect me to let it blow over,” the girl said with a harrumph. “Are you gonna do something about it?”

“There isn’t much I can do, Lillie,” Kira argued in her defense. “Gladion is off in another region and I have duties here as Champion. Even if I did say something, it’s not like he’d reciprocate it. I don’t think he would drop everything just to come back for my sake.” Admitting such a truth made Kira’s chest tighten, but attempting to deceive herself into believing things would work in her favor would only set the stage for heartbreak.

“You may be surprised,” Lillie offered, resting a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. “Gladion cares about you a lot; both as a friend, and as a rival. The only way you’re going to find out if those feelings go one step further is if you talk to him about it. So, please consider it?” It didn’t help that her friend was regarding her with a puppy-eyed look, but Kira found herself sighing in surrender.

“I’ll… consider it,” she mumbled.

“Good!” Lillie cheered, her face becoming its usual perkiness once again, “Let me know how it goes when you do talk to him!”

“I said I would consider it, Lillie!” Kira shouted to the blonde as she bounced away to the beachfront. The girl’s shoulders sagged in defeat as she glanced downwards toward Nazo, who just chirped curiously up at its trainer.

“What am I gonna do, boy?” she nearly whispered, her chest feeling fit to burst. Her little Mimikyu was receptive, thankfully, shuffling over to her leg and nuzzling it in comfort. Kira knew the answer to her own question quite well – but, just as Lillie had stated, it would mean having to sit herself down and confront the object of her concerns directly.

It was definitely going to be her biggest challenge to date.

 

* * *

 

That night, after she had eaten dinner and her mother had settled in the living room, Kira forcibly parked herself at her desk – proceeding to open the video chat program on her computer. The cursor on the screen hovered over Gladion’s name, but Kira found that she couldn’t convince herself to click it.

“C’mon, Kira…” she muttered as she chewed at her lip, “It’s the same as calling him any other night. You can do this.” She took a deep breath, and, taking the leap, double clicked on the single word.

The video chat rang for a good twenty seconds, and with every one that ticked by, Kira felt her stomach sink lower and lower. A series of explanations plagued her all at once, each one sounding more convincing than the last.

Was he busy?

Was he already asleep?

Did he not want to talk to her anymore?

Had he… had he met someone else?

Finally, just as she was about to hang up, Gladion answered, his slightly disheveled appearance causing Kira’s heart to thunder frantically.

“Kira,” he acknowledged, his smile barely visible, “It’s been a few days. What’s up?”

It took a moment for the girl to respond, but once she did, she immediately apologized. “You were sleeping, weren’t you? Arceus, I’m so sorry. I-I can call back at a better time…”

“Nah,” Gladion interjected, waving his hand in dismissal. “I wasn’t sleeping. I just barely settled into bed, is all. I was actually kinda anticipating you calling me, so…”

“You couldn’t have done it?” Kira teased, her nerves starting to ease with their lighthearted conversation. “You do have fingers, right? Or did they fall off with all that training?”

“Ha-ha,” the boy scoffed, but the smirk on his lips remained. “I have an image to keep, y’know? What kind of reputation would I have if people found out I was calling the Champion of Alola every night?”

“I don’t know…” Kira said slyly, “Most people are crazy about the edgy types with a secret golden heart.”

“And do you consider yourself ‘most people’?” Gladion retorted, his eyes narrowing in curiosity. Kira swallowed thickly, her attention wandering away from the screen to stare toward her feet.

“I… I, er…” the girl stuttered, and Gladion chuckled.

“Stunned into silence. You know, you may have a point,” he admitted, his voice rough. It was then that Kira’s eyes returned to the screen, her gaze locking on Gladion’s and staying there.

“Glad?” she nearly whispered, and swallowed again. “When are you coming home?”

The boy didn’t respond right away, but his eyes never left Kira’s face. “The reason I left to begin with was so I could battle you properly someday. I don’t know if I’m ready to face the Champion of Alola just yet.”

“I know, it's just... you've been gone for so long, and Hau and Lillie are always together, and...” Kira trailed off, her gaze moving toward the floor once again. She heard Gladion sigh, but made no attempt to move.

“Kira, I’ll come back soon, okay? Promise.” Gladion said softly. Kira nodded, slowly raising her head to meet his eyes. “Hey uh…” the boy then added, all of a sudden looking hesitant, “I really like that clip in your hair, by the way. It looks nice on you.”

Kira absentmindedly touched the flower barrette that sat in her pink-brown hair, a tender smile rising on her cheeks. “T-thank you,” she uttered bashfully. Gladion’s responding smirk only made her smile widen.

“I um… I should probably go to bed. I’m heading to Cinnabar Island in the morning, so…” the boy explained, scratching at the back of his head.

“Oh! Yes, you should definitely get some rest,” Kira agreed. Neither made an attempt to close the video chat, however.

“Kira? I need your help, dear. I think Meowth is stuck in the trash can again,” Kira’s mother’s voice suddenly spoke from the hallway, causing the girl to jump in her seat.

“Again?” Gladion laughed. “That’s the fourth time this month. Maybe you should invest in glue or something.”

“Hush, you,” Kira hissed, then called over her shoulder, “Be right there, mom!”

Gladion was still laughing, albeit softly, when she turned to face him again.

“Suppose I’d better let you go, now,” he sighed, but his smile remained. “I’ll talk to you soon, Kira. Have a good night.”

“Yeah,” Kira replied, void of breath, “You too.”

And with that, they simultaneously ended the call.

 

* * *

 

Kira was startled from slumber early the next morning when a series of poundings sounded on her bedroom door.

“Kiraaaa! Lillie and I are here to see yoooou!” came Hau’s voice from beyond the barrier, followed by Lillie, who was tutting at him in disapproval.

The rudely awoken girl grumbled as she slumped out of bed, then threw open her door and mustered the most annoyed look possible.

“Alola, cousin!” Hau greeted, and Kira just huffed.

“I told you we should’ve waited a couple more hours,” Lillie sighed, shaking her head. “Sorry, Kira. We wanted to hang out with you today but Hau decided that meant 9 AM sharp.”

“I have title defense today, guys,” Kira yawned, stretching her arms. “I mean, I’d love to shuck my responsibilities, but…”

“Oh! No need to worry,” Lillie explained. “We told Professor Kukui we’d be stealing you away today; you don’t need to be at the league until late afternoon.”

That had Kira raising a brow. Kukui had always been insistent on her being available for challenges. Before she could interrogate her friends, however, Hau barked, “Alright, up and at ‘em, cousin! We’ll wait in the living room while you get ready!”

Groaning in defeat, Kira retreated into her room to throw on clothes and comb out her disheveled hair, clipping in the barrette Gladion had complimented the night before with a smile. She met Hau and Lillie in the living room afterward, the latter showering her appearance with praise despite it only taking a good fifteen minutes.

“As cute as that outfit is, I think we can find an even cuter one at the mall in Hau’oli City,” Lillie said, clapping her hands together. “It’s been forever since we shopped together!”

Kira cocked a brow. “And… Hau is okay with this? He’s not exactly the shopping type.”

“I can shop!” Hau protested with a pout. “But I was thinking I would hang out at the beach until you guys get finished. Then we can all grab lunch!”

“Fine by me. Just, no malasadas today. Okay, Hau?” Kira insisted, which only earned her a wide smile.

“Everyday is a day for malasadas, cousin! You should know that by now!” the boy laughed outright. "But alright. We can grab sandwiches or something."

After saying goodbye to Kira’s mother, the trio set off to Hau’oli City. Kira and Lillie headed to the shopping mall, while Hau made a hard left toward the beachfront. The girls set to work on browsing through the numerous racks of clothing, Lillie taking it upon herself to grab a selection of items for the sole purpose of Kira trying them on. Nazo turned out to be quite interested in the matter, as well, as the little creature had its own pile of various materials accumulating on the top of its head.

“Aren’t you going to look for something, Lillie?” Kira eventually asked.

“Don’t worry about me!” the blonde replied, balancing an armload of outfits. “I shop all the time now with Wicke. We’re here for you this time around!”

Kira twisted her lip, but let the matter be, knowing she wouldn’t be able to convince her friend otherwise. After trying on everything she and Lillie had gathered, she settled on three outfits – one in particular being her favorite of the bunch.

“Oh that looks so adorable on you, Kira!” the blonde said as both she and Kira observed it in the changing room mirror. The outfit consisted of a white tank top with frills around the neckline, pink capris, and pink sandals with white flowers on the buckles. Such a combination was inspired by the look and color of her barrette, and Kira ultimately decided to wear the outfit for the remainder of the day (with some heavy persuasion from Lillie, of course).

They met Hau at the sandwich shop afterward, where the boy already had their food waiting for them by the time they sat down.

“Nice clothes, Kira!” Hau said with a bright smile, offering a thumbs-up. “You and Lillie have such a good taste in fashion. Well… from what I know about fashion, anyway.”

“Thank you, Hau,” Kira laughed, ripping off a piece of her sandwich and handing it to Nazo, who sat in her lap. “Really it was Lillie who picked everything out, I just kinda gave the final word.”

“Oh, nonsense,” Lillie dismissed. “You have a much better eye for style than me. I knew you were set on something matching your barrette when you started rejecting everything that was dark in color.”

“Surprised you _wouldn’t_ go for something dark, honestly,” Hau muttered, which earned him a not-so-subtle kick under the table from Lillie. Kira’s brows furrowed at the action, but the timely beeping of her Rotom Dex prevented her from questioning the situation further.

“Call from Professor Kukui! BZZzzzZZRrrr!” the hybrid device announced as it flew in front of Kira’s face, and a few seconds later the man in question popped up on the screen.

“Alola, cousin!” Kukui greeted. “We already have some challengers lining up at the league – are you all done catching up with Hau and Lillie?”

“Hi, Kukui!” Hau shouted, waving like mad even though the professor couldn’t see him.

“Erm, hello voice who I assume is Hau,” Kukui replied with a chuckle. “Anyway, head to Ula’ula as soon as you can, alright, Kira?”

“You got it, Professor,” Kira replied, and Kukui ended the call.

“You gonna go to Ula’ula, then?” Lillie asked with the tilt of her head.

“I’d better,” Kira responded, then started packing up her things. “If I don’t head there soon and start battling, I’ll end up being there all night.” She stood from the table, Nazo perching itself on her shoulder. “Thanks for inviting me to shop and dine with you guys,” she told both Lillie and Hau gratefully. It really was nice to be able to hang out with them like this for once.

“It was no problem! Now, go defend your title! And good luck!” Lillie cheered, and was quickly joined by a muffled Hau, who had been busy stuffing his face.

 

* * *

 

Defending her position as Champion of Alola had become like second nature to Kira at this point. She’d held the title for nearly two years and not one of her challengers had even come close to taking it away. Some didn’t even make it past the Elite Four – but Kira couldn’t blame them when the league had only just been established in the region.

Entering the domain that sat on top of Mount Lanakila, Kira headed to the platform that would take her to the very top of the league. Upon climbing the steps, she took her seat – Nazo scrambling into her lap with an excited chirp.

“Ready for this, boy?” she asked the Pokemon, who made a whirring sound in response.

“CHALLENGER APPROACHING,” the intercom announced, and Kira rose from her throne.

As was expected, all of the trainers that came her way left in disgruntlement and _without_ the Champion title. Between Kira's Primarina, Persian, Mismagius, Lycanroc, Ninetales, and Mimikyu, it was almost impossible for the opposite to happen.

Night had fallen, and Kira was just about to head out for the evening when the intercom sounded again.

“CHALLENGER APPROACHING!” it blared, and Kira let out a long, annoyed groan.

“For real? Shouldn’t the league be closed by now?” she complained to no one in particular, then threw herself back into her seat with a huff.

But then, a shock of platinum blonde hair came into view, slightly longer than she remembered but unmistakable in appearance. When a pair of piercing green eyes followed, Kira absentmindedly stood to her feet, her heart pounding like mad as the final challenger of the night came face-to-face with her.

“Gl-Gladion…?” she breathed in disbelief, taking a wobbly step forward. The boy in question just smirked, before reaching for a pokeball on his belt.

“Champion, I’ve looked forward to our battle – trained for over a year in another region just so I could prove my worth,” he said, his voice confident. “I hope you’re ready for this.”

Kira wiped at the tears that suddenly blurred her vision, sniffling once before taking a steady breath. “You bet I am,” she answered just as boldly, and threw the pokeball containing her Primarina into the air. “Flounder, go!”

“Silvally, you’re up!” Gladion shouted in return, calling out his signature Pokemon. Silvally had been prepped with the grass-type memory disc beforehand, its trainer obviously anticipating Flounder being part of the match.

“Flounder, hit ‘em with a Moonblast!” Kira called out, praising her Primarina when it landed a direct hit.

“Silvally, use Crunch!” Gladion commanded, his Pokemon following the order and doing considerable damage to its opponent.

The battle continued for a good half-hour; Gladion having the upper hand a majority of the time but Kira managing to barely break even. He had gotten considerably stronger as a trainer since he’d been away, and it showed. Never had Kira faced someone so powerful and determined. It was a refreshing feat, to say the least.

Finally, the battle came down to Nazo and Gladion’s Blastoise, which was a rather surprising addition. The Mimikyu’s disguise had been busted previously, leaving it vulnerable to any physical attacks. Despite where she stood, despite the fact that she was on the verge of losing her title, Kira was completely fired up.

She managed to win the match with a timely Wood Hammer.

“You did it Nazo! You did it!” Kira cheered, running over to the Mimikyu and scooping it into her arms. She watched as Gladion soothingly patted the head of his collapsed Blastoise, thanking it for its hard work before returning it to its pokeball.

Kira turned to face her opponent, not knowing what to expect next. He had returned to Alola, had faced her and nearly won. What did it all mean for the both of them?

“Here I thought you’d be throwing yourself at me considering our conversation last night,” Gladion teased, and Kira breathed a shaky laugh. Without even realizing it, she inched her way to him, the tears from earlier making an unwelcome return. When she was but a hairsbreadth away, she fell into him, her head coming to rest on his chest and a wobbly smile forcing its way onto her cheeks. She couldn’t contain the wet giggle that slipped past her lips when she felt Gladion’s arms snugly circle her waist.

“I’m finally home, Kira.” he murmured, and she could hear the smile in his voice. Could picture it in her mind.

“You’re finally home,” she echoed, her heart feeling lighter than it had in months.

 

* * *

 

After they descended from Mount Lanakila, Kira and Gladion decided to take the bus to Malie City. They arrived just as the lights in the village flickered to life, encasing the area in a soft, green glow.

Walking side by side along the streets, Kira was tempted more than once to take Gladion’s hand, but continued second-guessing herself. They hadn’t said much to one another since their embrace inside the league, but the silence between them was a comfortable one, thankfully.

“Wanna grab some cocoa? My treat.” the boy offered at one point, and she nodded, letting him lead the way to the Pokemon Center. Kira waited at a table inside while Gladion went and ordered their drinks from the café, thanking him when he eventually made his way over and handed her a steaming mug.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so quiet,” Kira murmured, staring into the brown, sugary liquid in her palms. “It’s just… hard to believe you’re really here.”

Gladion quirked a brow at the confession. “Is it?” he inquired, taking a sip of his cocoa. “I promise I’m here, Kira.”

Kira nodded, but sighed dejectedly. “But for how long?” she questioned, not really wanting to know the answer.

“Indefinitely.” Gladion responded bluntly, and Kira’s eyes flew upward.

“R-really?” she breathed.

The boy shrugged. “Yeah. I can’t rely on my possibly-insane mother to make sure Aether is running smoothly. I told myself and Lillie that I was going to be there the next time something went wrong. I can’t spend my life just training and running away, after all.”

Kira smirked at that. “You’re giving up on defeating me, then?”

“Psh, you wish,” Gladion scoffed. “I’m not gonna be traveling to other regions for the time being, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be improving my team when I have downtime.” He leaned back in his seat smugly, then said, “Better prepare yourself, Champion. That title is gonna be mine when you least expect it.”

Kira found herself giggling despite the obvious challenge Gladion presented. “I look forward to it,” she replied firmly, mimicking his stature.

Malie Garden had become one of Kira’s most favorite places in all of Alola during her island challenge, and that was where the pair wound up after they finished their drinks. Kira’s eyes flickered to Gladion every so often, whose sole focus was set on the scenery before them.

“Is there a reason you keep looking at me?” he asked, catching the girl off-guard.

Okay, so his attention wasn’t _entirely_ focused on the scenery, after all.

“N-no,” Kira stammered, twiddling her fingers. “Well…”

“Kira?” her companion pressed, stopping in his tracks to look directly at her. His intent gaze was enough to cause the thoughts flooding her mind to spill forth.

“Why did you _really_ come back, Gladion?” she questioned breathlessly, but the boy just narrowed his eyes.

“I told you, I need to-“

“Return to Aether so your mother doesn’t accidentally screw everything up again, I know. But why is it that you decided to return the day after I asked you when you would come home? Why did you decide to come back the moment I basically confessed how much I missed you?”

Gladion looked to be at a loss for words, his mouth slightly agape as his eyes searched hers.

“K-Kira…” he finally managed.

“Glad… did you come back just for me?” she implored, gathering enough courage to reach for his hand. His calloused skin was rough, but warm and comforting all the same. Kira’s breath hitched when she felt Gladion’s fingers intertwine with hers, before offering her hand a gentle squeeze.

“You sounded so sad when we talked,” he quietly said, closing his eyes. “To know someone like you wanted me home so badly? I had already contemplated returning soon, but…”

“Gladion…” Kira whispered. She squeaked slightly when the boy suddenly tugged her to him, his arms enveloping her in a hug and his head coming to rest on her shoulder. Things couldn't possibly be more perfect in that moment, Kira mused in disbelief - between where they were and what was currently happening.

“Guess you caught me, then. I'm actually a complete sap,” Gladion chuckled lightly, and Kira couldn’t help but laugh as well.

“Oh, Glad,” she sighed, bringing her arms around his neck. “You really are the sweetest, you know that?”

It would seem neither really registered the position they wound up in, for when they slowly began to pull away from one another they only ended up being inches apart. Gladion’s eyes lowered slightly as he studied Kira’s face, and the girl was completely mesmerized by the striking emerald color. She couldn’t possibly move away now, even if she wanted to.

It was when Gladion impulsively leaned forward and left a single, sweet kiss to her lips that Kira knew she was completely lost.

“S-sorry,” he breathed nervously when he quickly pulled away; but was seemingly shocked that instead of being offended, the girl in his arms began giggling like mad.

“Don’t be,” she reassured him with a beaming smile, “I-I don’t know if I would’ve ever had the courage to do that, honestly.”

Gladion’s shocked expression morphed into one of confusion. “You… wanted to kiss me?”

“Yeah,” Kira admitted, her smile shy. “Well, more like I wanted to confess that I have a crush the size of Kanto on you, but, whatever works.”

Gladion smirked at that, his hand moving upward and brushing at the flower barrette in her hair. It was obvious that he didn’t need to voice his reciprocation.

“Lillie insisted that I would be flabbergasted when I saw the outfit she and you picked out today. Should’ve known that this would be your inspiration.”

“How could it not?” Kira inquired. “You said it looked nice on me.” That’s when his previous statement _really_ clicked in her mind. Blinking, Kira blurted, “Wait a second! Lillie _knew_ about all of this?!”

“And Hau. Oh, and Professor Kukui,” Gladion added nonchalantly. “They agreed to keep you busy for the day while I made my way back here.”

Kira managed her most frustrated pout possible. “Oh, those little…” she grumbled, but Gladion just laughed as he looped an arm around her shoulders.

“Don’t be too hard on them, Champion,” he softly chided her. “We might not be here right now if they hadn’t intervened.”

She knew he was right, despite her aggravation. Even so, she would definitely be having a few choice words with her _friends_ much later on.

“Yeah,” Kira sighed in surrender, leaning into him with a smile. “I guess you’re right.”

She was going to savor this moment. Right now, it was just she and Gladion - just as she had wanted all along.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos, comments and anything else are always greatly appreciated!


End file.
